COMMENTARY

“Finally, assuming the island weekly has an editorial board, it has yet to publish names of the board’s members, just as it has yet to publish the names of its donors. For all the reading public knows, the editorial positions of the island weekly may be influenced, if not dictated, by wealthy John’s Island donors and investors. If, however, the island weekly’s editorials simply reflect the opinion of its publisher, Milton Benjamin, then Benjamin should publish his ‘editorials’ as signed commentary.”

MARK SCHUMANN

By now, those who can smell a rat and who recognize biased, mean-spirited, attack-dog-journalism when they see it have tuned the island weekly out, or at least have begun to take the tabloid’s “reporting” with a healthy dose of skepticism. Even more skepticism may be necessary going forward, for the less influence 32963 has in Vero Beach politics the more outrageous becomes its “reporting” and editorializing.

A case in point is 32963’s Dec. 4 editorial in which its editors describe as “stupid” plans by the Vero Beach City Council to at least explore the possibility of forming a utility authority to manage Vero Electric in a way that would give more representation to out-of-city residents, but without turning the asylum over to the inmates. After all, Florida Power & Light does not exactly submit its rate structure to a vote of its customers. Why, then, should the City put itself completely at the mercy of its out-of-city customers?

Nowhere in 32963’s editorial is there an acknowledgement that Vero Electric’s rates are now within the statewide average. The island weekly’s assertion that Vero Beach’s are “overly-high” may play well with Indian River Shores readers, and may make for lively conversation over cocktails at the John’s Island Club, but the claim remains an urban legend disconnected from reality.

Two words describe 32963’s Dec. 4 editorial: rude and condescending. Let’s face it. The island weekly first built its reputation attacking the City of Vero Beach and its employees. For five years now the tabloid has been pushing unsuccessfully for the sale of Vero Electric. Though the deal is clearly dead, 32963 is not about to abandon its strategy of building readership through irresponsible, yellow journalism, most of it focused in mean-spirited attacks on Vero Beach.

In stories about ongoing negotiations between Vero Beach and the Orlando Utilities Commission and about the City’s efforts to hold a referendum on forming a utility authority, the island weekly served up still more of its slanted, snarky reporting. “Orlando proposals for new pact worse than current electric deal,” read the headline for a “report” that did not exactly put the facts in context. Everyone has a right to their own opinion, even headline writers, but 32963’s lead headline this week is nothing more than that – opinion. Yes, it is true the OUC is asking Vero Beach to commit to purchase a minimum of 85 megawatts of power in exchange for rate reductions and for shortening the terms of the contract from 2029 to 2023. Taken as a whole, the OUC’s latest proposal is an improvement over the existing contract.

Island weekly reporter, Lisa Zahner, reasoned Vero Beach’s only options are to live with the terms of the existing contract, or agree to either of the OUC’s first two proposal for revising the agreement. There are at least two other options. The City can continue negotiating with the OUC, or it can terminate the contract and pay liquidated damages. If the liquidated damages – the OUC has to justify its number – are far less than the savings to be had striking a new wholesale power deal with the OUC, Florida Power & Light, or with any number of other wholesale power providers, then walking away from the OUC contract may be the City’s best option.

In another of its tabloid-style headline, 32963 reported, “Vero hires a big-time attorney to plan vote on Utility Authority.” The island weekly’s criticism of the current City Council for hiring competent legal counsel stands in stark contrast to its muted criticism of the Carroll-Fletcher-Turner troika for spending nearly $2 million on $500-hour transactional attorneys who failed, utterly failed, to transact an agreement between Vero Beach and FPL.

It is worth considering that the majority of the island weekly’s readers live outside the city limits.  Some Indian River Shores and south barrier island readers may find twisted enjoyment in reading their favorite tabloid’s relentless attacks on their neighbors, but the residents and citizens of Vero Beach would do well to consider the source.

Finally, assuming the island weekly has an editorial board, it has yet to publish names of the board’s members, just as it has yet to publish the names of its donors. For all the reading public knows, the editorial positions of the island weekly may be influenced, if not dictated, by wealthy John’s Island donors and investors. If, however, the island weekly’s editorials simply reflect the opinion of its publisher, Milton Benjamin, then Benjamin should publish his “editorials” as signed commentary.